Portable testing device for mechanically-propelled vehicles.



F. I. SPBLLMAN.

PORTABLE TESTING DEVICE FOR MEGHANIGALLY PROPELLED VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15. 1910.

976,705. Patented N0v.22, 1910.

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' 1 Wm 276d 672021272022 F. I. SPELLMAN.

PORTABLE TESTING DEVICE FOR MEGHANIOALLY PROPELLED VEHIGLES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15.1910

Patented Nov. 22,- 1910.

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rnnn I. SPELLMAN, or MANSFIELD, OHIO.

PORTABLE TESTING DEVICE FOR MECHANICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 19101.

Application filed April 15, 1910. SeriaLNo. 555,597.

To all whom it may concern:

live it known that l, FRED I. SPELLMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at ll lansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio,have invented new and useful lmprovements in Portable Testing Devicesfor llleclianically Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention is designed prin'iarily to provide an appliancewhich is portable and adapted for supporting the drive 'wheels of amechanically propelled vehicle, such as an automobile, when testing andadjusting the several parts, thereby admitting of the mechanicalappliances of the vehicle being observed so that proper adjustments asto speed, load, and the like may be made so as to secure the bestpossible results.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafterwill be more particularly setforth, illustrated in the ac companying drawings, and pointed out in theappended claim.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the application, Figure 1is a side view of a testing appliance embodying the invention, showingthe same in operative position. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the appliance,showing the means for securing the vehicle in position thereon. Fig. 3is a top plan view of the device. Fig. i is a sectional detail on theline :z;w of Fig. 3, showing the parts on a larger scale. Fig. 5 is asectional view on the line ;z 2 of Fig. 4, looking to the right.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription. and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The appliance comprises a framework of substantially rectangular formand embodies longitudinal beams 1 and transverse pieces 2. The ends ofthe longitudinal beams are oppositely inclined and are connected by thetransverse pieces 2, which are broad and serve to connect thelongitudinal beams and to form skids for elevating the vehicle to betested when run upon the appliance. Rollers 3 and 4 are located nearopposite ends of the frame and are mounted in bearings applied to thelongitudinal beams 1. The

rollers 3 and 4 are spaced apart a distance to insure a substantialsupport for the driving wheels of the vehicle when in position thereonas indicated in Fig. 1. One of the rollers is providediwith a resistancemechanism for testing the power of the engine of the vehicle, saidresistance mechanism embodying a brake, a testing scale, and adjustingmechanism for varydng the resistance of the brake and determinable bythe testing scale. It is also contemplated to apply a speedometer,tachometer or the like to one of the rollers for indicating the speed orvelocity of rotation of the rollers when the appliance is in operation.A gear element 5, such as a spur wheel, is secured to the shaft orjournai of one of the rollers, as 1, and the instrument for indicatingspeed, velocity, or the like may be connected with said gear wheel inany well known manner so as to derive movement therefrom. The brakemechanism comprises a brake wheel 6 secured to a shaft or journal of oneof the rollers, as 4, a brake band Y cooperating with the brake wheeland tension means for setting the brake to any given point ofresistance. The brake band 7 is secured at one end to a part of theframework and a thread ed rod 8 is connected to the opposite end of thebrake band and passes loosely through an opening in the end of the brakeband attached to the framework and is provided with a set nut 9. A lever10, fulcrumed at 11 to a support 12 extended upwardly from theframework, has one end apertured to receive the threaded rod 8, whichpasses loosely therethrough. The opposite end of the lever is likewiseformed with an opening to receive a threaded stem 13, which is providedwith a set nut 1a. A. testing scale is attached to one end of thethreaded stem 13 and its opposite end is connected to the framework bymeans of a fastening 16.

The parts are adjusted so that upon turning either one or both of theset nuts 9 or 14 the indication on the testing scale will show theamount of resistance offered by the brake through movement of the roller4:. By this means the speed of the part rotating the roller l may bedetermined as also the amount of work performed by the engine inoperating the rotating part.

The vehicle to be tested is run upon the appliance so that its driveWheels 17 restupon both rollers 3 and 4:, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2,after which the vehicle is secured to the framework so as to retain thesame in place and insure a uniform engagement between the drive wheels17 and the rollers 3 and 4:, which is essential in order to secureaccurate results. Chains 18' are passedthrough openings formed in one ofthe transverse pieces 2 and are adapted to pass loosely through eyes 19secured to the opposite transverse piece 2, saidchains be-' ing providedat their free ends with hooks 20 to engage links of the-chains andsecure the latter when properly tightened to hold the drive wheels 17 ofthe vehicle upon the rollers 3 and 4. The chains 18 arepreferablyapplied to the framework so that when engaged with the rearaxle and rear springs of the vehicle they incline upwardly anddownwardly, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 2, thereby preventingendwise movement of the axle upon the rollers.

The testing scale 15 may be of any structural type, a spring scale beingpreferred, as advantage may be taken of the yieldln action of the springto allow for inequa ities of the engaging parts or unevenness in themovement of. the rotating parts. A The vehicle to be tested is run u onthe appliance the drive wheels ascen ing the incline transverse pieces,2 and passing over the roller adjacent the inclined piece and droppingbetween the two rollers and resting thereon. After the vehicle is inposition it is made secure by the chains 18, which are passed about therear axle and springs and secured in the manner stated. When testing theparts the engine is set in motion and the parts observed in a mannersimilar to the operation of the vehicle when u on the road. By closeobservation parts 0 the mechanism may be adjusted and set so as toobtain the best results without necessitating .the trying of the machineupon the road.

The power andspeed of the engine may be likewise ascertained by theresistance mechanism and an instrument such as a speedometer or atachometer connected with the gear wheel 5.

' .From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advanta es of the construction and of themethod. ogoperation will be readily apparent to those sk lled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichI now consider to be the embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimappended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

'A testing appliance for mechanically propelled vehicles comprising aframework, rotary supports mounted thereon, a brake wheel fastened toone of said rotary supports, a brake band,*a threaded rod for drawing.the brake band about the brake wheel, a lever having one end engaged bysaid threaded rod, a testing scale, a threaded stem extended from thetesting scale and engaging the opposite end of said lever, and a set nutmounted upon the threaded stem and forming a point of resistance for thesaid lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED I. SPELLMAN.

Witnesses:

Gno. M. Wmwoon, CLARA F. PARKER.

